CVE-2014-3538
MEDIUMEPSS 96th pctlDescription
file before 5.19 does not properly restrict the amount of data read during a regex search, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via a crafted file that triggers backtracking during processing of an awk rule. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2013-7345.
CVSS v2 Vector
No CVSS vector data available.
Exploit Intelligence
Very high risk: more likely to be exploited than 96% of all known CVEs.
References
- http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Apr/msg00001.html
- http://mx.gw.com/pipermail/file/2014/001553.html
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2014/06/30/7
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2014-1327.html
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2014-1765.html
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2014-1766.html
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-0760.html
- http://secunia.com/advisories/60696
- http://www.debian.org/security/2014/dsa-3008
- http://www.debian.org/security/2014/dsa-3021
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2017-3236626.html
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/bulletinjan2015-2370101.html
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinapr2016-2952096.html
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinoct2015-2719645.html
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/68348
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1098222
- https://github.com/file/file/commit/4a284c89d6ef11aca34da65da7d673050a5ea320
- https://github.com/file/file/commit/69a5a43b3b71f53b0577f41264a073f495799610
- https://github.com/file/file/commit/71a8b6c0d758acb0f73e2e51421a711b5e9d6668
- https://github.com/file/file/commit/74cafd7de9ec99a14f4480927580e501c8f852c3
- https://github.com/file/file/commit/758e066df72fb1ac08d2eea91ddc3973d259e991
- https://support.apple.com/HT204659
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Start freeThis product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2026-05-06.